Nature vs Nurture
by T.E.D.S
Summary: Late August 1982, a baby girl is born in Azkaban. She is placed with her closest relatives. Is blood really thicker than water? Will Andromeda truly replace Bellatrix in the girl's life? Read to find out!
1. Chapter 1

This story is an alternative of „All the sweetness of the world": what if Andromeda got baby Aquilla? Would the nature take over the nurture, or would it be other way round? Well, I was curious myself. So I started writing this story. Can be read without knowing „All the sweetness of the world". Enjoy!

**Nature vs. Nurture**

**Chapter one, in which a family grows bigger.**

'And this one should go in there' Andromeda gave another piece of a jigsaw to her daughter. Nymphadora nodded and placed the piece where it belonged. The two of them were just spending late summer afternoon together while Ted was gardening outside. Nymphadora enjoyed summer time, even though she didn't have anything like summer holidays – she was home-schooled.

'Dromeda, do we want another daughter?' Ted asked, coming into the room. Andromeda frowned.

'We do, but… how?' she asked. Ted waved a piece of parchment.

'We have once-in-a-lifetime chance to adopt our niece!' he exclaimed.

'What? Narcissa doesn't want her daughter?' Andromeda asked, puzzled. Ted shook his head.

'It's not Narcissa… and maybe she would want to keep the baby, but she can't where she is.'

'You can't mean Bellatrix!'

'I can' Ted nodded. 'Here, the letter. From the Ministry.'

Andromeda took the parchment and read the message. She sighed then.

'We must take her. We must protect her from any Death Eaters!' she said, clenching her fist. Nymphadora looked at her sadly.

'Does it mean we won't finish this jigsaw?' she asked. Andromeda shook her head. She joined her daughter back.

'How will we do it?' Ted asked. 'I must go to work tomorrow, and if you go to the ministry…'

'Dora, do you want to go to the ministry with me or would you rather stay at grandma's?' Andromeda asked. Nymphadora frowned at the thought of crowded, noisy and yet so boring ministry. She simply decided to stay with grandma, even though it meant that she would be expected to change her face to an exact copy of her father's. Her grandparents didn't like her everyday pink hair. But they always gave her sweets, more sweets in one day than her parents gave her in a month, so it was worth being blonde with braids for a few hours.

'I'd rather stay at grandma's' she said aloud. Ted stroked her carelessly and went to call his parents by phone. He came back triumphantly.

'My mum is overjoyed to have Dora for a day' he said. Andromeda nodded.

'Good then. Let's finish with this jigsaw, Dora.'

The next day the whole family got up quite early. They all got dressed and Ted left first, taking Nymphadora. Andromeda Apparated to the Ministry about half an hour later, still having plenty of time.

Nymphadora enjoyed her stay at her grandparents'. She did all the things she couldn't do at home, like watching TV and gobbling loads of sweets.

'You've grown so much since I last saw you!' the grandma said. 'I wonder how you do this!'

Nymphadora shrugged.

'I'm a Metamorphomagus' she said plainly. 'I can control what I look like.'

Her grandmother didn't comment her metamorphic abilities, going on to complaining that the girl definitely lost some weight in the last month and suspecting Andromeda of neglecting to feed her. And to make up for this, she gave Nymphadora a huge apple pie with whipped cream. The girl couldn't resist it. Within minutes, the pie was gone, which made grandma even surer that Andromeda didn't feed her daughter properly.

Grandpa, on the other hand, had a different surprise. It was a swing which he made of a tyre. Simple as it was, it made Nymphadora the happiest girl at this side of La Manche.

Time passed quickly, and before the girl could get bored, Andromeda came to pick her up, carrying a small, pink bundle.

'Had a good time?' she asked.

'Sure!' Nymphadora nodded enthusiastically.

'Why didn't you tell us?' grandma complained. 'You must have known that you were expecting a new baby!'

Andromeda smiled wryly.

'We wanted to keep it a surprise for you' she lied without a wink. 'Now, see little Aquila.'

'May I hold her? May I hold my little sister?' Nymphadora asked, bouncing. Andromeda nodded and gave her the bundle. Nymphadora did her best not to drop the baby.

The baby girl was asleep. She looked like many other newborn kids, but Nymphadora was sure that this baby was very special. After all, not every newborn was her baby sister. She gently stroked Aquilla's fist.

'My little sister' she whispered. And at the very moment she knew, she was just all sure, that she would do everything she could to protect this one little baby from every harm that the world prepared for her.

Andromeda thanked her parents-in-law for taking care of Nymphadora and the three Tonks were ready to go back home. Andromeda took sleeping Aquila back and Nymphadora held firmly her mother's elbow. And they Apparated home.

'Dora, could you please sit here and hold Aquila for a few minutes?' Andromeda asked. Nymphadora wanted to say that she would gladly hold her little sister forever, but she didn't have time for it, so she just sat down in an armchair, holding the most precious bundle in the whole world. Andromeda went to the attic and brought a cradle from there.

'Was it…' Nymphadora started, not knowing what exactly she was going to say.

'Yes, it was previously yours' Andromeda said. She cast a few spells to make it neat again, and levitated it to the parents' bedroom.

'I thought my sister would share room with ME!' Nymphadora whined. Andromeda shook her head.

'Not yet, but I'll move her to you when she's a bit bigger. Aquila is so little that she requires us all the time, she will grow out of it…'

Nymphadora nodded with regret. Then she looked strongly at her mother.

'Yes, Dora? You wanted to ask me something?' Andromeda asked. Nymphadora nodded.

'Um, mum? Because… it's just… Aquila, right? She is my sister or not? I mean… she isn't really your and dad's…'

'She wasn't ours until today. She is ours now, and your sister. She is Aquila Tonks.'

'Tonks. Not Lestrange' Nymphadora nodded. 'Because she would be Lestrange if she wasn't ours, right? After this sister of yours who is a Death Eater and would curse me away if I didn't tidy my room… at least, when she wasn't in Azkaban.'

'Who told you this?' Andromeda asked, shocked. Nymphadora shrugged.

'Dad' she said casually. 'He said your sister Bellatrix would come and Crucio me out of my mind, or Imperio me into tidying it anyway, or…'

Andromeda was even more shocked. But Nymphadora seemed unaware of this. She was casually sitting in an armchair, holding her baby sister, waving her legs, not knowing at all that she had just caused a storm which would break out very soon. She did feel warned, however, when Andromeda put on her sweetest smile and started talking in her sweetest voice.

'What else dad told you about my sisters? Not only Bellatrix. Narcissa too…'

'Uh, well…' Nymphadora hesitated a little. 'Well, dad told me that all three of you were Slytherins' she decided it was a safe start. 'And that both your sisters married pure-blood wizards' she took a deep breath before stepping on a dangerous path, or rather path which could put dad in trouble, as the _really_ dangerous path was _not _telling her mother everything she wanted to hear right now, 'and that both your brothers-in-law are Death Eaters, and that your sister Bellatrix is one too, and she can hurt me really bad if I don't clean my room…' she made a short pause, 'but last year he told me that I no longer need to fear her because she did something so awful, along with her husband, that they were sent to Azkaban for the rest of their days, and it was torturing people with one of these three awful curses. And… that's all. Is dad in serious trouble?'

'I haven't decided yet' Andromeda said with amusement. It was true. Of course telling a little child about the Unforgivable Curses was wrong, but was it enough for serious trouble? Not really. But enough for _something_. But Andromeda didn't have time to think it through, as Aquila started crying. Nymphadora looked close to panic.

'Mum? What should I do?' she asked. Andromeda prepared a bottle.

'I'll feed her now, watch carefully if you want to do it later, okay?' she asked and took the baby from her daughter's hands. There was no other way, Aquila had to be bottle-fed. When the baby didn't want to suck anymore, Andromeda burped her.

'Humph' Nymphadora snorted. 'And I can't burp after meals.'

'You aren't a baby who would vomit unless burped' Andromeda pointed out. Nymphadora's eyes went wide.

'Babies do this?' she asked, astonished. Andromeda nodded and laid the baby in her cradle.

'All the time. Their little tummies aren't prepared to get food yet. They swallow a lot of air, and this makes them likely to vomit if they air doesn't go away. And you are a big girl and no longer swallow this much air while eating, right?'

Nymphadora shrugged. Andromeda ignored this. She summoned a bag of baby clothes from the attic.

'And Ted thought it was foolish to keep them all this time' she snorted. 'We'll have to go and look through everything we have there. There must be more useful stuff than we could think of!'

Nymphadora grinned at the thought of searching through all the attic treasures. She was hardly ever allowed to go there, as the whole attic was terribly messy, but could her parents refuse some help from her? The girl sat on her parents' bed and gently rocked the cradle her newborn sister was sleeping in, humming a soft tune she learned in arts-and-music classes she was attending. She didn't stop even when her father came back from work.

'Ted Tonks! You irresponsible ditz!' she heard her mother yelling, and a slap-sound. She felt a bit guilty. After all, it meant her father _was_ in trouble. And she was a bit of reason to this…

'What do you mean?' Ted asked, puzzled. 'Why are you so mad at me? What happened?'

Andromeda slapped her husband across the face again.

'Dora told me what means you used to get her to clean her room! Threatening a child with Unforgivables, what the hell were you thinking?'

'But it worked!'

Another slap.

'And since when end justifies the means, you stupid m-' Andromeda suddenly stopped.

'Yes? Will you finish?' Ted snarled. His wife sighed.

'No' she said in much calmer voice. 'I don't want to call you this and I'm sure you don't want to be called this. It has nothing to do with this anyway. But I'll stick to irresponsible.'

'Ssh!' Nymphadora hissed, coming into sight now, when it was safe. 'Aquila is asleep.'

'Aquila?' Ted asked and winced.

'Yes, Aquila' Andromeda nodded. 'Our second daughter. Aquila Tonks. Come, see her.'

'I don't like this name' Ted said. Andromeda shrugged.

'Have any better options?'

'Loads. Elisabeth, Jane, Ann, Mary, Danielle…'

'You call these options better?'

'Only someone who named a daughter Nymphadora could say so.'

'You don't like this name?'

'It's just that you chose names for both our kids.'

Andromeda ignored this complaint and pulled her husband to their bedroom. Ted looked at the sleeping newborn.

'She's beautiful' he said with a soft smile. Andromeda nodded. She left her husband gazing at Aquila, remembering how long it took him to leave baby Nymphadora nearly nine years earlier. She only hoped that it wouldn't take him this time again with Aquila – both because Aquila wasn't their first child and because she wasn't metamorphing.

While the three Tonks were having dinner, Aquila suddenly cried. Andromeda stood up to check on her. She came back to the table quite soon.

'Nappy problem?' Ted asked, and Andromeda just nodded. They all finished the meal and Andromeda flicked her wand to wash the dishes.

'I'd like to hold Aquila' Ted said, smiling.

'Okay, sit on the bed. We don't want you to drop Aquila like you did with Nymphadora, do we?' Andromeda asked rhetorically. Ted sighed and obeyed. Once Andromeda handed him the baby, he smiled wider than ever. He gently stroked the single tuft of Aquila's hair and looked deep in her dark eyes, which resembled so much the eyes he had fallen in love with…

'Welcome to family, Aquila' he said, placing a gentle kiss on the baby's forehead.

_Well, I guess it's enough for a start. Please review! Remember that English isn't my first language, so don't hesitate to point me the language errors. _


	2. Chapter 2

After a long break for winter session and winter break, T.E.D.S. proudly presents:

**Nature vs. Nurture**

**Chapter two,  
>in which nothing goes as it should.<strong>

Ted couldn't resist telling everyone at work about his new daughter. He had already taken several photos of her, and even though the newborn didn't really do much, he would show the photos to everyone who wanted it… and everyone who didn't.

'And here it's Aquila the next day, when Dromeda was burping her, isn't she adorable?' he asked rhetorically. His closest workmate sighed.

'I'm glad you saved us from seeing your wife's pregnancy photos' he said. 'But could you PLEASE stop with the second girl? Most of us have children, and even those who don't, aren't interested in YOURS!'

Ted didn't listen to his workmates. How could anyone be not interested in his baby daughter? And besides, this would help the people to believe that Aquila was their own.

'Dromeda kept it a secret from me' Ted laughed during the lunch break, even though no one listened to him. 'She must have used some spells to hide it, and then suddenly – surprise! I became a father!'

He wasn't the only one who couldn't help telling everyone about Aquila.

'I have a new sister!' Nymphadora said loudly in class. 'Everyone says she looks like mum, but well, she is just a baby now…'

'Phew' her classmate, Cathy, snorted. 'There's nothing good in younger siblings. First she takes away your mother, then they put her in your room, she destroys your things, and whatever happens, you're blamed because "you're the big and responsible". Feel warned. Say goodbye to calm days, goodbye to being your parents' little princess, goodbye to any attention from mum and dad… this little vermin takes it all.'

'Don't say such things, Cathy' another girl, Jane, said. 'It's great to have younger siblings. You can do things you're too old for, and you have a good excuse – you're playing with your little sister…'

Nymphadora didn't know what to think about it. She knew that her mother had two sisters, but she knew hardly anything about their childhood.

Classes went quickly, though not quickly enough for the girls, and soon Andromeda came to pick Nymphadora up.

'Mum?' Nymphadora asked.

'Huh?'

'What is it like, to have a little sister?'

'You'll see, Dora. You'll see.'

'No, tell me! Just… is it good or bad?'

'Very, very good' Andromeda hugged her daughter. 'You'll see how much.'

'Then why don't you keep in touch with your little sister?'

Andromeda didn't answer until Nymphadora repeated her question.

'You'll learn when you grow up' Andromeda said. Nymphadora pouted of course, but eventually she accepted that she had to wait. She also insisted on pushing the pram by herself, and Andromeda let her.

Ted came home from work, exhausted and starving. Andromeda served dinner and after it, Ted lay down on the couch with quite a thick book. Soon all over the house his snoring could be heard. Andromeda shook her head with a gentle smile and covered her husband with a blanket. She thought that Ted really deserved his rest.

Nymphadora did her homework quite quickly and then she spent time in the garden until it was dark. Of course, she got terribly dirty.

'It's always this way' Andromeda shook her head. 'Go take a shower.'

Nymphadora nodded reluctantly. What was the point in taking a shower if she was going to get dirty again? But she knew better than to disobey, so she took a shower.

'You know, mum, there was a man in grandma's TV who said that we should save water!' she said after that.

'How did he go there?' Andromeda asked.

'I don't know, ask dad, he should know. And as we should save water, maybe it's enough to take a shower once a month?'

'Don't get dirty if you don't want to take showers.'

Nymphadora moaned, as she knew that it was lost already. She just wanted to keep dirty sometimes. Was it this bad?

Andromeda was humming some tune while washing the baby. Suddenly she shrieked. Both Nymphadora and Ted ran into the bathroom, frightened.

'What happened, Dromeda?' Ted asked. Andromeda was pointing at Aquila's left forearm, trembling.

'This… this…' the woman whispered. Ted couldn't see anything, so he looked closer.

'Oh' he finally said. He noticed a very pale Dark Mark on her arm, looking like a scar rather than tattoo. He smiled.

'Well, Dromeda, it doesn't change anything. Just hide it. We'll think of it later' he said calmly. Andromeda nodded and cast a glamour spell to hide the Mark. Aquila blinked a few times.

'Aw, isn't she adorable?' Ted smiled widely and took a photo. 'Come, Dora, we'll play a round of Scrabble, shall we?'

Nymphadora nodded. Scrabble was a muggle game they got from her grandparents for Christmas a few years ago. Even though it was muggle – or maybe because of this – they always enjoyed the game… apart of the moments when Ted insisted that there was a word like "Yuggoth" or "Cthulhu". But this time, they agreed not to use any proper names, so even Ted's favorite "Necronomicon" was out.

'Dad, at school Cathy told me that Aquila will take you away from me' Nymphadora said, quite worried, while placing "bunch" on the board. 'Double word.'

'You see, Dora, it is true that babies require more attention than big girls like you' Ted smiled. 'But I'll have time for you every single day. I swear.'

'Make a good promise' Nymphadora looked challengingly at her father. Ted sighed and put the stones away.

'Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye' he recited, making appropriate gestures. After being scolded for mentioning the Unforgivable Curses just a few days ago, he didn't want to take chances with the proper version of the promise. This one should be safe, he thought. Andromeda was always quite hot-headed. It worried Ted a lot that Aquila was born with a Dark Mark, but he didn't show it outside. If Andromeda knew he was worried, she would worry more too. And he didn't want his wife to worry. Plus, most of his worry came from lack of knowledge about the Mark. Everything he knew about it was that it's not an ordinary tattoo – Aquila inheriting it was proof enough. He could imagine what other effects it could have on the baby, but nothing of these was sure. So why to worry in advance?

'Daddy, it's your turn for fifteen minutes now!' Nymphadora disturbed his thoughts. Ted smiled and formed "laugh" on the board.

'Done. Your turn.'

Nymphadora frowned and counted something on the board, then she flashed a smile and used up all her letters to form the word "pipsqueak".

'Where did you hear this word?' Ted asked.

'At school. Is it rude?'

'Not as bad as last one. It's not a nice word, but not a foul either.'

'OK… dad, what is the rudest word you know?'

'I'll tell you when you're seventeen.'

Nymphadora reluctantly nodded.

'You know, dad? This word actually sounds funny and cute. Pipsqueak. Pipsqueak. Pipsqueak. Don't you think it sounds funny and cute, dad?'

'Um, yes, Dora, it sounds funny, but…'

'Pipsqueak, pipsqueak, pipsqueak…'

'…it's your turn again.'

Nymphadora looked at the board and new word – piglet. She looked at her letters and placed a new word. Degu.

'It's a rodent. I learned about it at school today!' she exclaimed. Ted nodded and made his own word. And so they played, until the letters ran out.

'Did you do your homework?' Ted asked. Nymphadora nodded.

'It wasn't much to do' she said. 'Just some math. Math is good and clean.'

Ted shivered as he remembered when his daughter's homework was growing a plant from a bean. It definitely wasn't clean. Yeah, math was a better idea. He wondered if his daughter would pick Arithmancy at Hogwarts, just like he did. After all, Arithmancy was just as clean. He didn't expect her to get past OWLs in Potions or Herbology...

'I want to go to Hogwarts already' Nymphadora pouted. Ted hugged her gently.

'Two years more, Dora. It's only two years.'

Slowly time to bed approached. Nymphadora got ready to bed all by herself, while Andromeda washed Aquila. She laid the baby to the cradle, but the very moment she left, the little girl burst into tears. Andromeda sighed and picked her up. She rocked Aquila until the baby calmed down. But when she put her down to crib again, the girl cried again. Andromeda picked her up again.

'Guess you'll sleep with us tonight' she said. She pushed the baby into her husband's arms and went to take a shower, then cuddled the girl again and lay down to sleep.

'See, you'll be sleeping with mum' she said. 'Goodnight, Aquila.'

Ted soon joined them in bed. Soon his snoring could be heard all over the house.

Weekend came and Ted wanted to take Nymphadora for a trip, for whole two days.

'No' Andromeda said. 'You will stay and rest at home after the whole week of hard work. I will take Dora for a trip.'

'But this means that I'll…' Ted gulped.

'Oh, it's not like it's the first time you take care of a baby' Andromeda shrugged. Ted finally gave up. He watched with jealousy as Andromeda and Nymphadora were getting dressed for a trip to forest.

'So it seems we are left for ourselves' he said to Aquila. The baby just looked at him, silently sucking her thumb. Ted found it adorable. Until Aquila slowly pulled her thumb out of her mouth and cried loudly. Ted almost panicked. He had no idea about what to do. He scooped the baby up from the cradle and hugged her tightly, going to the kitchen. Andromeda had left a bottle with baby food, so he took it and tried to feed Aquila, but the girl just wouldn't suck. Ted decided then that it wasn't the problem. He checked the nappy, but it was dry. He sighed with relief. He didn't have to change it. But what could he do then? He tried carrying the girl around – didn't help. He rocked her in his arms – neither. He hugged her warmly – still nothing. He sang her a song – no effect. He laid her back in the cradle and pulled silly faces – nothing. He cleared his throat and began singing.

_Does a melon go to bed, go to bed?  
>do melon dreams fill its head, fill its head?<br>are these dreams all green and crimson?  
>who can answer this question?<em>

_Maybe they dream sweet at night, sweet at night  
>or maybe they dream they fly, dream they fly<br>lightly like butterflies tiny,  
>where did they get dreams so many?<em>

Sadly, the lullaby didn't have any effect as well. Ted didn't have more ideas, so he tried everything again. As he was trying everything for the third time, Andromeda and Nymphadora came back. The woman took the baby in her arms and rocked her gently, massaging her back, and cast a simple diagnosing spell.

'She seems fine' Ted said. Andromeda nodded.

'I have no idea why she's crying. Hush, Aquila, no need to cry…'

The girl stopped for a while, looking at Andromeda, and suddenly burst into tears again.

'Maybe it would be better if Narcissa dealt with her' Andromeda murmured. 'Did you try giving her a toy?'

Nymphadora ran to her room and brought her favorite stuffed bubblegum-pink bunny.

'Here, Pipsqueak. Have this' she said. Aquila accepted the bunny and put its head into her mouth.

'Worked' Ted sighed with relief. Andromeda laid the baby in the cradle and rocked her gently. Soon Aquila fell asleep.

'I want my bunny back' Nymphadora whined.

'You gave it to Aquila' Andromeda said.

'Yes, but…' Nymphadora winced. 'It's mine.'

'So you wanted only to lend it to Aquila?'

'Yes.'

'Fine' Andromeda sighed and took the bunny away. Its head was all wet. Nymphadora winced even more.

'Yuk. Did she have to drool it over?'

Andromeda cast a simple spell to dry the bunny. Nymphadora was satisfied.

'But don't you think you're too big for stuffed toys?' Andromeda asked. Nymphadora shook her head.

'Never.'

Andromeda smiled to herself. Nymphadora's stuffed bunny was the only thing she kept from her childhood. The bunny was made by Bellatrix with an accidental transfiguration, when Andromeda was only five – actually, on Andromeda's birthday. It was a gift, and later, for Andromeda, it was a reminder of the girl Bellatrix used to be.

Suddenly, Andromeda stiffened.

Was it possible that Aquila somehow felt her blood mother's magic, and calmed down only because of this?

_Once again, I'm sorry for the long break – UoT life is tough. Please review to comfort me and make me update faster!_


	3. Chapter 3

T.E.D.S. proudly presents:

**Nature vs. Nurture  
>chapter three,<br>in which old things get a new life.**

'Mum, when will we go treasure hunting?' Nymphadora whined for the hundredth time that week. Andromeda sighed, laying the table.

'When dad comes back from work earlier than in late evening' she said patiently for the hundredth time. 'Bring the mugs.'

Nymphadora nodded and ran to the cupboard. Suddenly the entrance door swung open.

'Wotcher!' Ted called. 'We had a little accident in the second room and everyone who isn't useful in managing all this mess was dismissed. Dora, I have something for you…'

Andromeda lay for her husband too.

'After the meal, Ted. Wash your hands and come quickly or it'll get cold!'

Ted gladly obeyed. Sandwiches at work were nice, but nothing could compare with his wife's cooking. He sat at the table between his daughter and his wife. Normally he wouldn't come home this early, so he treasured the whiles he could spend with his family even more.

'Dad, Mum said that we'd go treasure hunting!' Nymphadora exclaimed. Ted stroked her raspberry pink hair.

'Can't wait' he said. Andromeda generously poured him soup. 'Who goes to the attic?'

'You do' his wife smiled. 'I know you two will have a wonderful time there.'

Ted nodded eagerly. Right after lunch he gave Nymphadora a packet of sweets and he took her to the attic. Treasure hunting was looking all around it for items that could be useful or at least brought back memories. This time Ted was looking for something particular: Nymphadora's old things.

They never got rid of her baby clothes or toys. They were planning to give them to some friends with children, but they never had real chance to do so. Now Ted thought that it was the best thing that could happen. They had another daughter, the old stuff was meant to be useful again…

Ted found an old chest, full of Nymphadora's clothes from the times when she wasn't even two. On the very bottom, there were baby clothes and some toys. The man smiled. Aquila was slowly growing out of her newborn clothes, and he just couldn't wait until she was rolling over, crawling and finally – walking. He knew that he had to be patient, but he couldn't help wondering who would his second daughter become.

'Look, Daddy!' Nymphadora shrieked, waving a pair of blue, hedgehog-patterned dungarees. 'I don't remember these!'

Ted blushed. He hoped never to see these. The dungarees belonged to him when he was in Hogwarts, and he would wear them at Herbology. But Nymphadora seemed to love them.

'I want them! They are superastic!' she yelled, hugging the dungarees to her chest. Ted sighed.

'Okay, we'll take them' he said. 'We'll probably need to adjust them. I was a bit taller than you're now.'

Nymphadora jumped in place and went on looking for things. Ted levitated the chest of clothes down and went to the darkest part of the attic. He always wondered what treasures Andromeda stored there.

In light of his wand, he saw a few cardboard boxes. He opened the first of them and he saw loads of photos. Ted picked just one of them. It showed three girls of different age. He assumed that it had to be Andromeda and her sisters. He was surprised that Bellatrix was obviously hugging and comforting Narcissa. Was Bellatrix caring and kind as a child? He left the photos and opened another box. It contained lots of parchments. Letters. And the handwriting was quite familiar. He checked if there were dates on the letters – there were. The letter he was holding was sent just after last year's Halloween. Ted knew that his wife was trying to keep in touch with her sisters, and he remembered Andromeda telling him that her sisters wrote her back, but he didn't ask more questions – actually, he told her that it was her thing who she wrote with, and as long as her sisters didn't write to him, he didn't care. And now it was just too tempting… he knew he shouldn't read letters to his wife, but he couldn't help his curiosity. What could Bellatrix write to Andromeda?

_Dearest Andromeda,  
>remember this bitter tale about the Silver Spider? Right now I feel like it. My world is shattered. I do not expect you to forgive, as there is something I can't forgive you either. I only hope you won't hate me more than you already do. I don't think I'll be able to love Rod anymore… just like in the tale again – too big a memory, too small a heart. Don't get me wrong, we'll be civil to each other, and we'll still be best partners you could imagine, but it will never be the same. I'm sorry. And for you it's too big a memory and too small a heart too. I hope you will never understand what I feel.<br>Bellatrix_

Ted put the letter down. He didn't understand much of it, and he didn't want to search through the letters. He didn't know a thing of Silver Spider, but he knew why his sister-in-law's world was shattered. He Who Must Not Be Named was dead, dead… Ted smiled to himself… he didn't really know about Bellatrix's memory, but "too small a heart" was a good description of her. He was surprised that she was aware of this.

'Daddy, look!' Nymphadora shrieked. 'A book! You never read me this one!'

Ted looked at the book and smiled. So there was where Andromeda hid his favorite books.

'Darling, this is not a book suitable for you. I'll let you read it after you pass your OWLs. Not earlier, okay?'

Nymphadora reluctantly nodded. She knew better than to disobey her father.

Finally Andromeda called the end of treasure hunt, preparing hot chocolate. Nymphadora couldn't be kept in the attic any longer. Ted also never refused the best hot chocolate in the world, so he came down too.

'Now I have moustache like you, Daddy' Nymphadora smiled. 'Sweet moustache…'

Ted chuckled. Andromeda kissed her husband, licking chocolate out of his moustache.

'So, what did you find there?' she asked.

'Superastic dungarees!' Nymphadora announced. 'Mum, I want them! They are too long, but…'

'I'll take care of it' Andromeda nodded. 'And you, Ted?'

'Dora's old stuff. Aquila will soon grow big enough to need them.'

'This whole chest?' Andromeda beamed. 'That's wonderful!'

Ted grinned. He didn't even begin having real fun.

He threw all the contents of the chest on the floor. He picked up the first piece of clothing. It was of most awful shade of pink. Ted drew his wand and turned it to pastel yellow. He thought that Aquila, as a brown-haired girl, would look very good in yellows…

Among clothes, there were some soft, rubber toys. Ted squeezed a rubber elephant. It made a quiet sound. Ted changed its color to light brown, and in a moment of amusement he made it freckled. Suddenly he saw a flash. Andromeda chuckled.

'I couldn't help taking a photo of you' she said. Carrying a baby, she looked even more beautiful than usual. Ted stood up and held the elephant in front of Aquila. The girl looked at it and reached both hands to the toy. She couldn't grab it yet, but she laughed to the elephant. Ted smiled to his younger daughter. He didn't even think she wasn't his. When he looked closely, he saw how much Aquila resembled Andromeda…

'Look, Daddy!' Nymphadora shrieked, running to her father. She was wearing her new dungarees already. They looked too baggy on her, so Ted drew his wand.

'Stand still' he said and adjusted the size. Nymphadora jumped up.

'Thanks!' she said and hugged her father. Ted grinned and hugged her back. He decided that the hedgehog pattern didn't look this bad anymore…

Ted spent the rest of his day changing patterns and colors of clothes for Aquila and in the evening, he was completely satisfied with his transfiguration work.

Nymphadora had a habit of doing her homework the very day it was given to her. This way, she never had to do any work on Sundays, so the whole Sunday could be spent with the grandparents. TV and swing were enough to make the girl completely happy, but her grandmother also made pies for every visit. So when the family came back home, they all (except of Aquila) were full of pie, received more hugs than in the six days before and heard more stories and anecdotes in every single visit.

'Dad…' Nymphadora murmured. 'I want a tyre swing…'

'I don't have a spare tyre I could use' Ted said. He could see that his daughter was sad because of this, but he didn't lie. Of course, he didn't tell the whole truth. He just didn't want to make a swing…

For some time, Nymphadora seemed to forget about her dream. She was too busy with school. But Ted knew better. He was sure that one day his daughter would bring a tyre and strongly demand making a swing. So Ted talked to some of his workmates and got an old tyre. He left it in the shed… for a while.

Next Saturday was chilly, but sunny. Ted took the tyre and rope and started playing. He tried out many knots he had learned while he was a scout. Finally, he hung the ready swing on a tree branch.

'Thank you, Dad!' Nymphadora shrieked and wanted to swing immediately, but Ted stopped her.

'I must check if it's safe first' he said. Nymphadora reluctantly nodded and watched her father getting on the swing. Ted swung slowly at first, then faster and faster, did some tricks…

'It's safe then!' Nymphadora shrieked. 'Dad, let me now…'

In vain. Ted missed having fun so much that he didn't get off, he kept swinging and spinning on the tyre. Nymphadora sat down and pouted, but she couldn't deny being impressed with her father's tricks. She watched him for over an hour until he stopped and let her swing.

_And that's all for this month. Please review!_


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